Monday, August 3, 2015

Retainers


After the braces come off, we need to "retain" the teeth in the correct position with retainers.  There are removable retainers and fixed retainers.  Typically, every patient receives some type of removable retainer and sometimes a fixed retainer.  The types of removable retainers include a hawley and a clear.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages and we try to match up the style of retainer with the patient's needs.
Hawley

Clear


Fixed retainers are just that.  They are fixed or "glued" to the teeth.  The are placed in a position which do not interfere with the bite and are behind the teeth so you cannot see them.  Hygiene can be more difficult with fixed retainers because flossing becomes more challenging.  So we try to reserve fixed retainers for cases that had severe crowding or large spaces.  Even with fixed retainers in place, we recommend wearing the removable retainers provided.